Machine for making matches.



No. 7l6,88. Patented Dec. 23,r i902.

J. A. E. CBISWELL.

MACHINE FUR MAKINE MATCHES. (Application tiled Apr. 13, 1991.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

JNVENTOR n wnNEssEs: z r. 7

Ptented Dec. 23, i992,

No. 7|'s,a|a.

J. A. E. CRISWELL. MACHINE FDR VMAKING MATCHES.- (Application led Apr. 13, 1901.) (Nd Model.) 3 Sheai'S-Sheet 2.

i YH@ Patented Dec. 23, i902.

J. A. lla. cmswrELL. MACHINE'FOR MKING MATCHES.

(Application filed Agr. 1S, 190i.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Mudei.)

Unifran- STATLES ,l

-; lAfrsNT OFFICE.

JAMES iA. EKIN CRISWELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' MAcHlNi-:FOR MAKING MATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'o. 716,818, dated December 23, 1902. application filed April 13,1901. Serial No. 55,610l y(No model.)

T0 a/U whom, it indy con/cern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. EKiN Gnis- WELL, of New York, county` of Kings, and

The primary object of" the invention is to provide simple and efficient means by which' the splints as they are cut will be separated and the separated splints discharged in inde-vr pendent rows into a transfer carrier or de-l vice and by the latter given an oscillatoryv and reciprocatory movement to positively force or stick the splints into a suitable holdin g-carrier.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide simple and eiiicient means for operating the several parts" of the machine. A

With these and other 'objects in view the invention consists in the construction and combination of the several parts, substanf tially as hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In the drawings, wherein similar figures of reference designate similar parts, Figure 1 is` a side elevation, partly `broken away and partly in section, of one form of machine em-r bodying my invention: Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional pian through the separator, showing the arrangement of the channels. Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly'in section, of the transfer carrier 'or' device and part of its operating mechanism removedk from'the machine. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the transfer device or carrier, showing in dotted lines its position while sticking the splints. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of the plunger.' Fig. 6 is a plan View of the machine. Fig. is a vertical transverse section taken on the line VII VII of Fig. 3, and Fig. Sis a vertical longitudinal section through a diderent form of transfer carrier or device.

The frame 10 may be of any suitable construction, and between the sections thereof a hopper 1l may be supported. The cards or blanks 12 are forced through the hopper 11 by afollower The cards areof the thickness-and length of the splints and of a width sufoient to provide a number of splints, and as the cards are forced through the hopper they willbe suitably supported under a plunger 14. This plunger is secured to a slide 15,

VAs the drive-shaft is operated' the mechanism described will force the cards to a suitable cutting device 23.'

The cutting device 23 consists of a roll of circular cutters 24, held to a shaft or spindle 25 and spaced'apart the width of the splints. The cutters out the splints against a roll 26, and this-*latter roll presents a smooth continuous surface to the edges ofthe cutters, the said plunger being slotted, as at 27, Fig. 5, to pass by and between the cutters, as fully set forth in my patent.V The splints as they are cut pass into a suitable separator 2S. This separator has a single pass 29, that diverges into a series of independent 'rows of independent channels 30. The channels and single pass are formed by opposed members 3l and 32 of the plaies 33, the whole being held in a suitable box or casing 34. The channels may be in three independent rows, or they may be arranged in four or any suitable number of rows, and the members 31 and 32 are yieldingly held together as a whole, or the plates may be independently held to yield so as to provide channels having yielding walls to permit anything that would tend to clog to pass therethrough and to permit the channels to com pensate for varying thicknesses of splints. In the form shown the plates of the .member 32 are non-yielding and those of the is provided with lingers 39, forming guidingsurfaces for the splints. The parts thus far described for the most part aresubstantially the same as in my patent hereinbefore referred to.

Instead of the splints being discharged direct into the holding-carrier they are discharged into a transfer device or carrier 40. This carrier or section has the end pieces 4l and the bracket 42, which rigidly holds the end pieces together and forms the transfercarrier frame. In the frame are a series of plates 43, in each of which is a holding device 44. These plates are fixed to the frame and have the holding devices corresponding in arrangement to that of the channels ofthe separator and are adapted to receive the splints as they are discharged from the separator. The holding devices vary in number of rows according to the number of rows into which the splints are divided, and instead of the holding devices being formed in plates, as in Figs. 3 and 7, they may be formed in a solid piece, as in Fig. l, or in any other suitable manner.

The transfer section or device is held to a shaft 45, and the ends of the shaft are journaled in brackets or blocks 46. These blocks are slidingly held in the frame 10 and when forced along their guides will carry the shaft and the carrier or section therewith. At each end of the shaft is a segmental gear 47, that is adapted to mesh with teeth on the stationary racks 48. A disk 49, provided with a foot 50, is also secured to the shaft, and said foot at the proper time is adapted to rest upon a stationary plate or block 51, so that as the shaft 45 and the bearings are forced outward along the racks 48 the segmental gears will rotate the transfer carrier or section and will cause the feet 50 to rest upon the plates 5l, so as to steady and position the carrier or section, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

As a means for reciprocating the bearings or blocks 46 and the shaft 45, the ends of the latter pass through openings in the ends of the rods 52. There is a rod for each end of the shaft 45, and on the outer ends of the shaftare collars 53. Therods are operatively connected to and are operated by eccentrics 54, that are secured to the shaft 55. On the shaft is a gear 56 and a locking-arm 57. The gear 56 is adapted to mesh with a segmental gear 58 on the shaft 20, and carried by the gear 58 is a rib or flange 59, which is adapted to engage the locking-arm 57 at the proper time. It will be seen that as the shaft 2O is iotated the segmental gear 58 will engage the teeth of the gear 56 and Will rotate the shaft 55 one complete revolution. This will rotate the eccentrics 54, and by the latter the bearings 46 and shaft 45 Will be forced outward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and then back again to the position shown in full lines. In this position the holding devices 44 of the transfer-carrier Will register with the channels of the separator, and while receiving the splints the shaft 55 and the eccentrics 54 are locked by the arm 57 andthe rib or iiange 59.

The outward movement of the separator will force or stick the splints into the carrier or other holding means. The carrier may be of any suitable form and may be fed to and removed from the machine in the usual or in any preferred manner. As shown, the carrier 60, Fig. 4, is the usual plate provided with holes into which the splints are forced by the separator, the holes in the carrierplates being staggered to correspond to the position of the splints after being separated. The plates may be hinged or linked together or may be passed through the machine and then removed and the matches completed by hand, or they may be completed automatically in the usual Way.

The separator during the return movement after sticking the splints into the carrier may be subjected to means for cleaning the holding devices ofany fiber, dust, and the like that might remain in and clog the same. No particular means is shown; but in case exhaust means is employed a transverse groove 6l, Fig. l, which intersects the holding devices 44, is provided, by Which lthe exhaust may act better on the holding devices. In an)T case the cleaning operation should take place only during the return of the transfer-carrier and after sticking the splints into the holding-carrier.

Any suitable timing and operating mechanism for the several parts may be employed, and for operating the cutter-roll a gear 62 is arranged on the shaft 20. This gear is in mesh with an idler 63, adjustably held to the frame 10, and the latter gear is in mesh with a gear 64 on the cutter-spindle.

The operation of the machine, which will be readily understood from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, is brietiy as follows: The main drive-shaft 2O being operated, the cards 12 will be forced by the plunger 14 to the cutting device 23 and by the latter cut into splints. The splints as IOO IIO

they are cut will be forced through the separator 28 and divided into a series of independent rows and then discharged direct into the holding devices of the transfer-carrier 40. This carrier is then given a reciprocatory motion, which carries the splints bodily away from the separator, sticks the splints into the holding-carrier 60, and then returns to receive other rows of splints endwise from the separator. This operation is repeated, and when the carrier or sections thereof are filled With splints the matches are completed in the usual or in any desired manner.

It will be seen from the foregoing that simple and eiiicient means is provided whereby splints already separated may be taken from a suitable source of supply and then positively forced into a carrier to complete the matches, thus avoiding the necessity of having the carrier made up of a series of independent movable clamping devices for the rows or individual splints.

In Fig. 8 the transfer-carrier instead 'of having a fixed abutment surface for the splints, as in Fig. 1, is provided with a movable abutment-plate 65. This plate is movable under the lower open ends of the holding devices 66 and isl provided with openings 67, adapted to register with the holding devices 66 at a predetermined time. This plate has a pendent rack 68, the teeth of which engage a gear 69 on the shaft 70. In this case the shaft 70 rotates independently of the carrier-frame, and both shaft 70 and the section may be operated by means similar to that shown for operating simply the shaft. By this means any material that might clog the holding devices may be either drawn therefrom or forced therethrough when the holes 67 register Awith the holding devices 66.

The transfer-carrier may have yielding or clamping holding devices for the splints, and instead of small cards being forced to the cutting device long blanks or strips may be fed thereto and these long splint strips cnt into smaller or complete splints, the latter. being carried by the transfer-carrier and forced in to the holding-carrier, as already explained.

It will be understood that the splints may be of any suitable form andv made of any suitable material, and the splints may be fed to the transfer device from any suitable source of supply and in any suitable manner either as single rows of separated splints or in a series of rows and in au157 desired number.

The class of machine herein disclosed is broadly claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 54,618, filed April 6, 1901, while an oscillatory and reciprocatory device that also separates the splints is broadly claimed in my pending applications, SerialNo. 45,044, filed January 28, 1901, and Serial No. 55,448, filed April 12, 1901.

It will be further understood that the relative position of the parts may be changedas, for example, the separator may be in a horizontal plane and the transfer carrier or section made to move and force the splints into the holding-carrier, the latterv traveling in a horizontal plane through the machine instead of vertically.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a match-making machine, the-combination with splint-cutting means, of a separator dividing the splints into a series of independent rows, an oscillatory and reciprocatory carrier receiving the independent rows of splints and carrying them away from and clear of the separator, and a second carrier into which they are forcibly inserted by the first-mentioned carrier.

2. In a match-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means, of a separator dividing the splints into a series of in- 'inserting the rows of splints into the holding means.- t

4. In a match-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means, of a separatcr dividing the splints into a series of independent rows, a carrier, and an oscillatory and reciprocatory section receiving the splints endwise and forcibly inserting them into the carrier.

5. In a match-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means, of a separator dividing the splints into a series of more than two independent rows, a carrier, and an oscillatory and reciprocatorysection receiving the splints endwise in independent rows direct from the separator and carrying them bodily at once and forcibly sticking them into said carrier.

6. In a match-making machine, the combination with means for supplying splints endwise, of a carrier, and an oscillatory and reciprocatory section carrying the splints away from the source of supply during one movement and forcibly inserting the splints into nation with means for cutting splints, of an oscillatory section having holding devices receiving the splints endwise and separated into independent rows, a carrier, and means for moving the section out of the path of oscillation toward and from the carrier to place fand leave the splints in said carrier.

9. In a match-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means, of a separator provided with a single way, pass or opening in the plane of the material and diverging into independent rows of independent channels, each channel forming a continuation of said single way or pass, holdingmeans for the splints, andtan oscillatory and reciprocating section carrying the splints away from the separatorduring one movementv and forcibly inserting the splints into said carrier during the reciprocatory movement.

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10. In a match-making machine, the combination with a splint-cutting device provided with a series of knives or cutters spaced apart, of a separator receiving the splints endwise direct from the cutting means and dividing them into more than two independent rows, and an oscillatory and reciprocating section receiving the splints endwise and forcibly inserting them into the carrier.

ll. In a match-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means, of a separator provided with a single way, pass or opening in the plane of the material and di- Verging into independent rows of independent channels, each channel forming a continuation of said single way or pass, and an oscillatory and reciprocatory section receiving the splints endwise direct from the separator and forcibly inserting the rows of splints into the holding means.

l2. In a match-making machine, the com bination with means for supplying separated splints, of a carrier, and an oscillatory and reciprocatory transfer carrier or device having devices holding the splints endwise and which carries the splints bodily at once and forcibly sticks them in the first-mentioned carrier.

13. In amatch-making machine, the combination with a source of supply for the splints,

of an oscillatory and reciprocatory device receiving the splints endwise and holding them separated, and holding means for the splints.

14. In a match-making machine, the combination with means for supplying splints, of a frame having holding devices for the splints, slidable blocks carrying the frame, means for reciprocating the blocks and the frame, and holding means for the splints.

15. Ina match-making machine, the combination with means for supplying splints, of a device having means for holding splints, a supporting-shaft to which the device is held and which permits oscillation of the device, slidable blocks in which the shaft is supported, a carrier, together with means for reciprocating the device to carry the splints bodily and force them into the carrier.

16. In a match-making machine, the combination with means for supplying splints, of a transfer device, a shaft to which the device is held, slidable blocks in which the shaft is journaled, means for rotating the shaft, holding means for the splints, together with means for reciprocating the transfer device to carry the splints bodily and force them into the holding means.

17. In amatch-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means of a separator dividing the splints into a series of more than two independent rows, a transfer device having holding devices receiving the splints from the separator, slidable blocks carrying the transfer device, a carrier, means for reciprocating the blocks and transfer device to force the splints into the carrier, and means for locking and holding the transfer device during the receiving and the sticking of the splints.

18. In a match-making machine, the combination with means for supplying splints, of a transfer device, a shaft to which the transfer device is held, slidable blocks in which the shaft is journaled, means for rotating the shaft and the transfer device and for holding it in its rotated position, a carrier, means for reciprocating the transfer device to force the splints into the carrier, together with means for locking the transfer device while receiving the splints.

19. In match-making machinery,thecombination with splint-cutting means, of an oscillatory and reciprocatory section into which the splints are 4delivered endwise, means for separating the splints, a carrier, and means for reciprocating the section to forcibly insert the splints in the carrier.

20. In a match-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means, of an oscillatory and Vreciprocatory section into which the splints are delivered endwise, means for separating the splints, and holding means for the splints.

2l. In match-making machinery,the combination with splint-cutting means, of an oscillatory and reciprocatory section into which the splints are delivered endwise, means for separating the splints, a carrier, together with means for forcibly moving the section to carry the splints and force them into the carrier.

22. In a match-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means, of an oscillatory section having holding devices for the splints and holding them endwise, means for separating the splints and delivering them in independent rows into the section, a carrier, and means for moving the sections ont of the path of oscillation to place and leave the splints in said carrier.

23. In match-making machinery,the combination with splint-cutting means, of a carrier, an oscillatory and reciprocatory device holding the splints endwise in independent rows and which carries the splints bodily at once and which forcibly sticks them in the carrier, together with means for separating splints and delivering them inV independent rows into the section.

24. In a match-making machine, the combination with splint-cutting means, of an oscillatory and reciprocatory device into which the splints are delivered endwise, means for separating the splints, and holding means for the splints.

J. A. EKIN CRISWELL.

Witnesses:

WM. R. DAvIs, JOHN G. PEARSE.

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